According to a report from msnbc.com, a new study from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) says that American teens are putting off getting their driver’s licenses due in large part to the Internet.
According to the UMTRI study, 50 percent of 17-year-olds were licensed to drive in 2008, compared to 69 percent in 1983.
The article quoted UMTRI Lead Researcher Michael Slivak as saying, "It is possible that the availability of virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people. Furthermore, some young people feel that driving interferes with texting and other electronic communication."
The article also stated that federal data shows miles driven by Americans aged 16 to 34 has declined from 10,300 annually in 2001 to 7,900 in 2009.
Even 30-somethings today are less likely to be licensed, according to the UMTRI study.
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